The All Progressives Congress in Niger State on Thursday threatened to boycott the forthcoming by-election for Niger East Senatorial District.
The party has alleged that the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, is a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The APC said in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, that the APC strongly believes that it is enough reason for INEC to immediately redeploy Onucheyo from the state, especially before the August 16 by-election to guarantee free, fair and credible election.
Vatsa said: “If he is allowed to preside over the election, it means that INEC has prepared ground for rigging of the election. Apart from REC romance with the PDP Government, we have discovered that Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo is a card carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, having contested and defeated as PDP Governorship Aspirant in Kogi State during the 2003 General Elections.
“There is no doubt that as a PDP card carrying member, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo will certainly have the sympathy for the Party and APC therefore believe that he cannot conduct a free and fair election under this circumstances.”
Vatsa further stated that few weeks ago, the APC had drawn the attention of the general public to a proposal by the REC to the state government, requesting for N44.375 million for organizing National Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Voter Education and Publicity, of which he is the chairman, with all other members drawn from the PDP-led government in the state.
Vatsa said: “Although, the REC tried hard to deny that he did not make any financial demand from the PDP Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Niger State, Hon. Saidu Ndako Idris, confirmed that a proposal with the same amount quoted by APC was actually brought before the Government by the REC, but N28.7 million was eventually approved by State Executive Council in one of its meetings.”
Vatsa stated that the N20 million for the renovation of the INEC Secretariat after the post-election violence, which the REC admitted as the only money he has so far collected from the state government, was not the money APC accused him of but the N28.7 million.
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